(CMC) The absence of West Indies Test allrounder Dwayne Bravo from Trinidad and Tobago’s team for today’s Carib Challenge Shield final against Jamaica is a huge loss.
His replacement will have to lift his game to the highest level to be competitive.
That was the opinion of coach Kelvin Williams ahead of the team’s departure on Tuesday for Kingston. Defending champions T&T will take on league winners Jamaica in the five-day Shield final at Sabina Park.
Bravo left on Saturday to take up a lucrative contract in the Indian Premier League with the Mumbai Indians. He joined Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan as the other regional players who are participating in the star-studded tournament.
Williams, 48, played in 27 First-Class matches and scored 834 runs with a highest score of 91. He also picked up 59 wickets at an average 29.61.
Williams was high in praise for the team’s preparation ahead of the big game.
He said: ‘I thought the preparation went well, because the batsmen showed consistency and the bowlers worked hard for their success. The pitch wasn’t the type I wanted for the preparation, however, it was important that the bowlers work for their success.’
Williams, who took over as coach from former T&T and West Indies wicketkeeper David Williams, said that the team’s cricket have been consistent and he expects it to remain the same for the final.
Williams added that the team is oozing with confidence and morale is high.
‘The players have always risen to the occasion in matches like these and this final will be no different. I am confident that the team will retain the Challenge Shield.’
Skipper Daren Ganga said that he feels very confident that his team will retain the title. He said: ‘Again it is another final. We played good cricket during the four-day competition and this is the highlight of our season. Expectations are high and I feel very confident that the guys are going to retain their title, although it is a big task and tough challenge.’
Former West Indies fast bowler Mervyn Dillon has come in place of leg-spinner Sanjiv Gooljar from the squad that defeated Barbados in the final round round of Carib Beer Regional Series at Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre to clinch the runner-up position and a place in the final.
T&T warmed-up with several significant performances in a specially arranged three-day practice match which concluded last Thursday at the National Cricket Centre at Balmain, Couva.
Darren Bravo scored an elegant 153 on the opening day of the match, while Ganga and West Indies youth opening batsman Adrian Barath hit half-centuries in the contest which petered out into a tame draw.
Among the bowlers discarded West Indies left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed ended with a match-haul of eight for 137.
Over the weekend in the Eastern Credit Union National Cricket League, several players showed good form including Bravo (102), Richard Kelly (83 & 52 not out), Rayad Emrit (74) and Mohammed (60 not out & 3-73).
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